I was talking with gill last night. He had a good idea that we show her pictures of her friends and see of she can remember our names.
Sent from my iPhone On Aug 13, 2013, at 6:46 AM, "Emily McGowan" <emm...@gmail.com> wrote: > > From her mother: > > Another great day. Mal continues to astonish doctor, therapists, other > workers with her progress. These people are awesome and this dinosaur has a > new appreciation for an I-phone. Today they combined OT with music therapy. > They ask Mal songs she likes. There is some boom boom song that people her > age know, I don't and they put on their I-phone and play the music and get > Mal to do things that I can't believe she can do. They have her standing > longer. She has balance problems. They have her hitting a drum at the top > and one at the bottom. It is really an exercise to strengthen her trunk > muscles but they are all singing and encouraging her and she will exercise > for over three minutes at a time, which is great for her. It was so awesome > to see, they had me crying. I am learning things to use with my little kids > when I teach next year. > > Then they combined speech therapy with PT. I had to request a new speech > therapist and this one is awesome. The one she had just didn't know to > handle someone with traumatic brain injury. They also have a lot of stroke > victims here and she may be great with them. But Mal would get so agitated > and feel bad about herself, I was very unhappy. But make a request and they > honor it after talking to you and finding out what the problem is. Well, > this new speech therapist is awesome. She had Mal talking while she was > walking (assisted). When Mal would rest between walks and was lying on the > exercise be, she did cognitive tests and Mal never realized it. Mal just > thought she was answering questions. This therapist knows how to do it, > where the other girl was frustrated and clueless how to deal with Mal. Mal > is walking well with assistance. They are teaching me how to walk with her, > but I am not comfortable yet to walk with her alone, but I can help the > aides. They actually walked her up and down stairs. > > Tonight marks one week we have been at Tirr and we are all amazed at her > progress. She still gets upset because she knows her brain is not working > right. We just have to keep reassuring her and try to refocus her thoughts. > We have started something new. She likes to talk to people on the phone. She > has been talking to Rex (the guy that was hit with her),sometimes twice a > day, but we are also expanding who we call. It is helping. If we should call > you and you can't talk, just tell me. She'll accept it just fine. It's just > a good way to touch with people, because the schedule changes every day and > other things and test, etc. happen during a day, where a visit may not work > but a quick phone call boosts her spirits. She was so obsessed with her > I-phone, I turned it back on. I had suspended it to save money and Steve and > I don't know how to use it .But she "needed" her phone, so I figured this > might be good therapy. But I told her she can't call unless I check her. Her > brain doesn't have this yet. I brought it home tonight so she couldn't use > it, supposedly to charge it. > > I have to tell you something funny she said yesterday. One thing they warn > you about is they may have a complete personality change. We don't think > that is happening with Mallory. Yesterday was the first time I heard her > call me Mama in 4 weeks. Once, when I was explaining something to her she > didn't understand, she looked at me with a straight face and "Mama, I love > you but you don't know anything". I laughed. This is so Mal at 15. She > tickled me. Now at 28 she does tell me I am smart about some things. They > just have to grow up. She wore her glasses today. At this point, vision > seems to be OK. They capped her trach tube. They are testing her oxygen > level and if all goes well, they will remove the trach on Wednesday. > > Her 20 year old roommate is having more problems than Mal and has been there > longer. She has a different type of brain injury. We are grateful for all > the good things that are happening to Mallory. God has definitely been > listening and helping all the medical people help her. Also, her friend > Jamie that she went to American Idol with 10 years ago, made it through to > the next round in Omaha today or yesterday. We are rooting for him. He sings > very well. > > > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > Visit our website: http://texascavers.com > To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com > For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com > --------------------------------------------------------------------- Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com